Backup peer pool for a routed computer network
First Claim
1. In a computer network comprising a plurality of remote routing devices and a plurality of local routing devices connected to a central computational facility, the remote and local routing devices being capable of establishing connections facilitating exchange of data between the remote routing devices and the computational facility by way of the local routing devices, a method of providing connection backup between a remote routing device and the computational facility, the method comprising:
- a. designating, for each local routing device, at least one backup routing device capable of establishing an internetwork-level data-transfer connection between a remote routing device and the computational facility; and
b. upon connection between a remote routing device and a local routing device, supplying the remote routing device with information identifying at least one designated backup local routing device to thereby facilitate an internetwork-level connection between the remote routing device and the computational facility by way of the at least one identified routing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Backup peers in an asymmetrically organized computer network are organized into a "pool" of available devices that are activated as necessary. The network comprises a set of remote peers and a set of local peers directly associated with a central computational facility, the local peers facilitating connection between the remote peers and the central facility. During the capabilities exchange, the "primary" local peer to which the remote peer connects provides a list of backup peer devices to the remote peer. If the primary peer fails (or if the rate of message exchange falls below some predetermined threshold), the remote peer can use the backup information to access a backup peer from the pool. The invention allows each backup peer to be assigned to multiple remote peers, with the total number of backup peers determined by aggregate backup utilization (rather than simply assigning an individual backup peer to each primary peer regardless of whether such a high level of redundancy is justified).
193 Citations
45 Claims
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1. In a computer network comprising a plurality of remote routing devices and a plurality of local routing devices connected to a central computational facility, the remote and local routing devices being capable of establishing connections facilitating exchange of data between the remote routing devices and the computational facility by way of the local routing devices, a method of providing connection backup between a remote routing device and the computational facility, the method comprising:
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a. designating, for each local routing device, at least one backup routing device capable of establishing an internetwork-level data-transfer connection between a remote routing device and the computational facility; and b. upon connection between a remote routing device and a local routing device, supplying the remote routing device with information identifying at least one designated backup local routing device to thereby facilitate an internetwork-level connection between the remote routing device and the computational facility by way of the at least one identified routing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. For use in computer network having a plurality of remote routing devices and a plurality of local routing devices, an apparatus comprising:
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a. a central computational facility to which the remote routing devices are connected, the remote and local routing devices being capable of establishing connections facilitating internetwork-level exchange of data between the remote routing devices and the computational facility by way of the local routing devices; and b. means for providing connection backup between a remote routing device and the computational facility, said means comprising; i. means for designating, for each local routing device, at least one backup routing device capable of establishing an internetwork-level data-transfer connection between a remote routing device and the computational facility; and ii. means for supplying, upon connection between a remote routing device and a local routing device, the remote routing device with information identifying at least one designated backup local routing device to thereby facilitate an internetwork-level connection between the remote routing device and the computational facility by way of the at least one identified routing device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. In a computer network comprising a plurality of remote routing devices and a plurality of local routing devices connected to a central computational facility, the remote and local routing devices being capable of establishing connections facilitating exchange of data between the remote routing devices and the computational facility by way of the local routing devices, a computer storage medium containing executable instructional code, execution of the code facilitating connection backup between a remote routing device and the computational facility according to steps comprising:
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a. designating, for each local routing device, at least one backup routing device capable of establishing an internetwork-level data-transfer connection between a remote routing device and the computational facility; and b. upon connection between a remote routing device and a local routing device, supplying the remote routing device with information identifying at least one designated backup local routing device to thereby facilitate an internetwork-level connection between the remote routing device and the computational facility by way of the at least one identified routing device. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification